Cognitive Effects of Tai Chi Chuan in Healthy Older Adults and Older Adults

NCT ID: NCT02270320

Last Updated: 2015-11-10

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 65 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2014-01-31
• Study Completion Date: 2015-08-31

Brief Summary

Background: Promotion of cognitive functions of middle aged and older adults and prevention of dementia are important issues in the aging society. In recent years, studies have shown that Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) exercise can improve cognitive functions in healthy middle-aged and older adults, but not studies have investigated the neural mechanisms. Therefore, the purposes of this research project are: (1) to investigate the effects of TCC exercise intervention on improving cognitive functions and motor functions in healthy middle-aged and older adults; (2) to investigate the effects of TCC intervention on improving the integrity of frontostriatal fiber tracts, and areas and intensity of brain activation while performing a switching task in healthy middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: This project used the assessor-blind and randomized control clinical trial design. A total of 60 healthy middle-aged and older adults will be recruited, randomly allocated to two groups: experimental and control groups. Experimental group will receive a 60-minute exercise program, three times per week for 12 weeks. Control group will receive a telephone consultation once every two weeks for 12 weeks. All participants will receive clinical neuropsychological tests, Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery tests, motor function tests, diffusion spectrum MR imaging, and functional MRI experiments before intervention, and at the end of intervention to realize the changes of cognitive function, motor function, integrity of neural tracts, and intensity and regions of functional activation while doing switching task of executive function in order to understand the cognitive effects and the neural mechanisms of TCC.

Detailed Description

Background: Promotion of cognitive functions of middle aged and older adults and prevention of dementia are important issues in the aging society. In recent years, studies have shown that Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) exercise can improve cognitive functions in healthy middle-aged and older adults, but not studies have investigated the neural mechanisms. Therefore, the purposes of this research project are: (1) to investigate the effects of TCC exercise intervention on improving cognitive functions and motor functions in healthy middle-aged and older adults; (2) to investigate the effects of TCC intervention on improving the integrity of frontostriatal fiber tracts, and areas and intensity of brain activation while performing a switching task in healthy middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: This project used the assessor-blind and randomized control clinical trial design. A total of 60 healthy middle-aged and older adults will be recruited, randomly allocated to two groups: experimental and control groups. Experimental group will receive a 60-minute exercise program, three times per week for 12 weeks. Control group will receive a telephone consultation once every two weeks for 12 weeks. All participants will receive clinical neuropsychological tests, Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery tests, motor function tests, diffusion spectrum MR imaging, and functional MRI experiments before intervention, and at the end of intervention to realize the changes of cognitive function, motor function, integrity of neural tracts, and intensity and regions of functional activation while doing switching task of executive function in order to understand the cognitive effects and the neural mechanisms of TCC.

Conditions

Alteration of Cognitive Function

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Control

Control group will receive a telephone consultation once every two weeks for 12 weeks.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Physical activity

Experimental group will receive a 60-minute 24 forms Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan exercise program, three times per week for 12 weeks.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Physical activity

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The training is 24 forms Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan exercise, which will perform a 60-minute exercise program, three times per week for 12 weeks.

Interventions

Physical activity

The training is 24 forms Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan exercise, which will perform a 60-minute exercise program, three times per week for 12 weeks.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• age range between 50 - 85 years old.
• education level > 6 years or can read and speak Chinese
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment Taiwan version (MoCA) score >= 26
• Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score = 0
• right dominant hand

Exclusion Criteria

• any neurological diseases, ex stroke, Parkinson's disease, trauma, epilepsy
• cardiac disease, cardiac infarction, angina, uncontrolled hypertension
• spiritual disease, anxiety or depression (Geriatric Depression Scale 15-item short-form score >= 8)
• Daily ability need helps (instrumental activities of daily living, IADL has one item score= 0 or 1)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 85 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

National Taiwan University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

National Taiwan University Hospital

School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy College of Medicine

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Pei-Fang Tang, PhD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy College of Medicine

Locations

National Taiwan University Hospital

Taipei, Zhongzheng Dist, Taiwan

Countries

Taiwan

Other Identifiers

NSC 102-2410-H-002 -213 -MY2

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

201212161RIND

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id